Among the earliest impactful films, one stands out as groundbreaking – the silent classic known as “The Great Train Robbery.” Now, a new company carrying on the legacy of digital theater, which has seen the rise of the widely popular MMO “Final Fantasy 14,” is bringing that timeless film to life once more, this time in the virtual era.
Game Rant recently had a chat with the creative team behind the next installment of Final Fantasy 14 – Doc Laladay and Penelope Lane. Here’s an abridged version of that conversation, with some parts shortened for easier reading and understanding.
Adapting a Cinema Classic
Q: Can you introduce yourselves?
Penelope Lane, or simply “Penny”, hails from Crystal Data center on Coeurl Server in FF14. I enjoy content that’s full of fun! My dearest project is my band, The Drama Club (TDC). We have five dedicated members who have grown to feel like a close-knit family. TDC organizes “Mellow Mondays Open Mic” events on the first and third Mondays every month, attracting various bands for a laid-back music gathering. I’m one of the founders and hold the position of deputy director at Whisperleaf Record Company – an RP record company designed to aid fellow bards in enhancing their music, making beneficial connections, and fostering mutual support.>
In the bard community, I got acquainted with Doc Laladay. Over multiple performances at The Huckleberry Saloon, you could say I’m a regular there. In addition, I run a place known as “Penny’s Pizzazz,” which is often referred to as Eorzea’s equivalent of Chuck E. Cheese. It offers a fun-filled environment reminiscent of childhood, complete with parties, costumed characters, and roleplaying antics. Each opening act serves as our special guest band. To sum it up, I always keep myself occupied in Final Fantasy 14!
Doc: Hey there! I’m Doc Laladay, often called Doc. I sport a distinctive blue hairdo, a mustache, a goatee, and I rarely step out without my trusty cowboy hat. Since the summer of 2022, I’ve been managing The Huckleberry Saloon, an engaging light RP bard venue with a wild-west theme on Diabolos. We open every Tuesday night. This place has been quite lively for some time now. I take pride in being the energetic and cheerful owner, but it’s our fantastic team, including individuals like Cinnamon Button and others, who truly bring The Huckleberry Saloon to life.
Beyond my regular involvement at the weekly venue, I find myself quite similar to Penny in that I’m constantly seeking new activities. I’ve taken on roles such as planning events like Halalaween 2024, which managed to raise an impressive $1,600 for The Starlight Children’s Foundation. I’m also part of the team organizing Mogstock, a summer festival inspired by Woodstock, and have contributed to numerous other events too, such as the recent Dancefest on February 22, which highlighted the dance community of Final Fantasy XIV. We recently hosted a Valentine’s event at The Galactic Circus, a free company jump puzzle-themed event. Event planning has become not just a passion but also something of an obsession for me. I’m deeply invested in showcasing the extraordinary talent within the Final Fantasy XIV community, whether it be roleplay, music, DJing, macrodance, or any other performing art – the depth of skill and creativity here is truly astounding.
Q: How did you both get into virtual theater?
Penny: I’ve always had a deep affection for theater, as I was part of Drama during my school years and have attended numerous productions. My dream has always been connected with the stage. Before starting the pizza business, I considered opening a theater instead. However, it required too much effort for a standard premiere, so I shifted my focus. It was during the initial planning stages of the theater that Doc presented the idea for The Great Train Robbery in the Spring. Since then, things have really picked up pace! I haven’t been heavily involved with theater in FF14, so this is a learning journey for me. I can’t wait to dive deeper into it over the coming months, bringing fresh ideas and drawing inspiration from our community.
User: I haven’t dabbled in digital theater before, but I’ve been immersed in roleplaying games for quite a while. I’ve participated in numerous events, but this is my first time doing an in-game play, which I’m genuinely thrilled about! I’ve attended performances by various production companies in FF14 , and I’ve always enjoyed being part of the audience. My theater experience, however, is quite modest; it ended when I played the lead role in Death of a Salesman during my final year in high school and dabbled with creative writing. We’re mostly relying on Penny’s theater background for directing the play, as she has some really innovative ideas!
Q: Why adapt The Great Train Robbery?
When Penny proposed the concept of a theater group, my first association was with “The Great Train Robbery.” Given that I’m a larpers cowboy running a role-playing saloon, it seemed incredibly fitting for The Huckleberry.
1903 saw the life of Wyatt Earp and other prominent figures from the Wild West still gracing our world, and it was during that year that “The Great Train Robbery” was filmed. This pioneering work had an immense impact on cinema at the time, even inspiring the final scene in “Goodfellas”. Despite its brief 10-minute runtime, this film is packed with charm! As a silent movie, it opens up possibilities for exploring complex themes through play. For instance, “The Great Train Robbery” starts with the robbers holding up the telegraph operator. But what led to that moment? The first act of our play delves into these questions, examining the robbers’ motivations. Why are they doing this? What drives them beyond mere greed? Who are these individuals willing to take such risks? We aim to honor the original while also indulging in creative liberties as we explore themes like motivation in our play.
Q: How much did you look into the history behind The Great Train Robbery?
Admittedly, I’ve delved a bit too far into internet research. The main source of our movie’s inspiration isn’t the same as the 1896 play by Scott Marble, although there’s a version available on Amazon for around $10. Additionally, A Daring Daylight Burglary by Frank Mottershaw, an old British silent film, has also left its mark. As we continue our research and exploration of the movie, it turns out to be quite fascinating.
Q: Did Dawntrail inspire your adaptation of The Great Train Robbery?
Response: To be completely straightforward with you, it didn’t originate from Dawntrail. Instead, the concept of reimagining The Great Train Robbery as a play in Eorzea was sparked by a deep affection for the old west that predates Dawntrail. Interestingly, the Huckleberry had an active train station on Diabolos before the expansion’s launch! We plan to revive this train station venue by late March, and it has expanded from medium to large scale. Cinnamon Button is taking care of the design, as far as I know!
Expanding the Final Fantasy 14 Theater Experience
Q: Doc mentioned you had some fun ideas, Penny?
Penny: We’re continuously brainstorming new ideas for the play, but one direction we’re exploring is to incorporate more theatrical elements like scene transitions, interactive moments with the audience, and even making use of the band to amplify the action scenes.
To ensure authenticity for our actors, we’re putting considerable effort into making their experience as genuine as possible. This involves an extensive program of workshops, rehearsals, character building, and costume creation.
A: What we have here isn’t just about the actors. There’s an exclusive soundtrack, a prestigious VIP package, and much more. Plus, we’re collaborating with notable figures from the community such as Ley Lines. How did everything fall into place?
Penny: Doc is the one who knows everyone! We aimed to make it authentic and offer a lively platform for our community members to display their skills. I roped in Dizzy Shasha, my partner from The Drama Club, to compose an original theme, which has been gaining momentum. This will eventually turn into a complete score. Additionally, K’arleen Winters, another musician from the band The OMNI, is scheduled to perform some unique music during our break. Set design for this event will be handled by Lexa Frost. Her establishment is House of Seoul, and she’s part of Gorilla Fist band. She has a knack for creative set designs.
Reply: I’m on the same page as Penny! From our set designers, musicians, performers, VIP hosts, and more, the main motivation for this show is to deliver an enjoyable experience while highlighting the abilities of the players. Regarding the planning process, Penny and I have been bouncing ideas off each other for additions to the production over the last few months.
Q: What are you looking for from auditions?
Penny: We’re on the hunt for folks who are eager to join in on the play! Whether they’re seasoned role-players or just starting out, everyone is welcome. While those with more RP experience may have a slight advantage when it comes to landing leading roles, our goal is to involve as many interested individuals as possible. We have up to 32 roles available across two performances! Our first event will feature the main cast, and the second one will be dedicated to understudies and extras.
At auditions, we provide every prospective performer with a Rapid-Response prompt, then observe their creativity with it. We encourage spontaneity and improvisation throughout the performance, and the most effective method for evaluating their abilities is to conceal our prompts until the evening of the audition.
Oh, and we have a schedule full of workshops for anyone who wants help after they are cast!
Doc: We have one Sunday, February 23, from 7:30 pm to 9:30 pm Eastern.
Q: Are there other ways people can get involved?
Doc: Yes, a few!
As a passionate supporter, I’m thrilled to share that we aim to gather at least 200 million gil for our upcoming event, through VIP ticket sales and generous donations. Each night, only 10 exclusive VIP tickets will be available, priced at a staggering 10 million gil each.
Imagine being more than just an audience member; it’s like stepping into the action of a murder mystery dinner theater! Our VIP experience promises unique and interactive elements that will make you feel like a part of the show itself. But, to keep the magic alive, I promise no spoilers!
To cover the costs associated with furnishings, advertising, and other expenses, we’ll be keeping 20% of all VIP ticket sales and donations. The remaining gil will be shared among our talented cast and crew. If you’d like to become a VIP or make a donation to help fund this exciting event, please connect with doclaladay on Discord.
1) In addition, we will seek event personnel who could work either outside the venue or within during the performance. This includes ushers, security, and possibly catering groups from RP (Role Play). On a broader note, I invite everyone to engage more with live art performances organized by groups within FF14. While this is our inaugural production, some groups frequently host events, such as Scarletta Vendetta’s mystery shows by Aether Entertainer and the Cirque Free Company from Mateus, which stages monthly full-fledged productions. I make it a point to attend as many Cirque performances as possible because of their exceptional work.
We’ll need event staff who might work either outside or inside the venue during the show. These roles could include ushers, security, and potentially catering groups from Role Play (RP).
I encourage everyone to participate more in live art events arranged by groups within FF14. Although this is our initial production, some organizations regularly stage performances, such as Scarletta Vendetta’s mystery shows presented by Aether Entertainer and the Cirque Free Company based out of Mateus, which offers monthly full-scale productions. I always try to attend Cirque performances because I appreciate their outstanding work.
Q: You really geared this performance toward the roleplaying community, I understand?
Absolutely! Each scene includes a mix of narrated background, scripted dialogue to advance the storyline, as well as improvisation opportunities for the roleplayers. We aim to foster creativity in character development and the events within the scenes themselves. The improvisation prompts vary from the briefest, lasting two minutes, to the longest, nearly ten minutes.
Penny: Designed with Role-Players in mind, but by no means exclusive. Excited to assist novice Role-Players too. I eagerly anticipate that everyone will derive significant worth from this production.
Keeping Active in Final Fantasy 14
Q: What have been your experiences with the roleplaying community lately?
Penny: While my involvement in the broader role-playing (RP) community isn’t extensive, it seems to me that the social aspect within the bard community is particularly vibrant at present.
From my perspective, the roleplay community significantly contributes to the gaming experience of Final Fantasy 14, particularly during periods when new content is scarce. It seems to me that these roleplay spaces serve as a kind of open door or gateway to an alternate world. As some roleplay environments may vanish or cease operations, others are springing up. To give you an example, I’ve noticed three freshly established ones that my friends launched, all heavy on roleplay. I know of several places that seem to be facing challenges, but many more are flourishing. I believe, as with most communities, there may be fluctuations, but the general health and vitality of roleplaying in Final Fantasy 14 remains strong and resilient.
Q: How has 7.1 been for you both?
As an enthusiast of this captivating world, I’ve been thoroughly enjoying my journey, particularly the engaging sidequests such as the latest Hildibrand Adventures. They’ve become my favorite narrative in the game! Yesterday, I completed Nitowikwe’s custom deliveries and was thrilled with the unique reward at the end – it’s got a real “yeehaw” feel to it! The new mounts are entertaining, but I find myself hooked on collecting minions and emotes. The fresh additions from patch 7.1 are no exception. Speaking of favorites, I absolutely loved the storyline of Dawntrail and can’t wait for more Main Scenario Quest content to be released so I can dive right in. I’m excited about the direction they seem to be taking for future updates – it promises an even more immersive adventure ahead!
As a Passionate Player: For years now, I’ve been more of a spectator than an active contributor when it comes to creating content. But here’s the thing – my engagement with the social content within Final Fantasy 14 has immense value for me. You could say that my ‘content’ is the community I’ve come to know and cherish. I’m not your typical casual player, but more of a laid-back enthusiast, immersed in this vibrant world.
Q: Is there anything in 7.2 you’re looking forward to, either personally or for the play?
I’ve been eagerly anticipating the Cosmic Expedition! As a massive science fiction enthusiast, I can hardly wait to establish a space station! The Cosmic Expedition seems to be where I’ll likely devote most of my gaming time in 7.2.”>
As a devoted admirer, I can’t help but express my curiosity: Are they planning to unveil expansive floor plans for compact dwellings soon? If that’s the case, I can hardly contain my excitement!
Q: Anything else you’d like to add?
Penny: I truly look forward to the day when folks can witness our show! A great deal of effort and affection has been poured into it, and I can’t wait to unveil it to our community in May!
Doc: The showings are May 10 and 11, 7 pm to 10 pm Eastern, and will be streamed by Aethercon.
[END]
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2025-02-23 15:26